What Did Pelosi Know About Waterboarding?

This is a rush transcript from "Hannity," April 25, 2009. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

SEAN HANNITY, HOST: And in "Your America" tonight Nancy Pelosi swears she wasn't briefed on the CIA interrogation techniques, but over the weekend former CIA director, that's Porter Goss, he wrote in the Washington Post that, quote, "It must be hard for most Americans to imagine how a member of Congress could forget being told about the interrogations of the September 11th mastermind Khalid Shaikh Mohammed. In that case, though, perhaps it is not amnesia but political expedience."

So who has it right? The San Francisco speaker or Mr. Goss? Well, here to help us sort it all out is FOX News analyst and the author of "A Slobbering Love Affair: A True and Pathetic Story of the Torrid Romance between Barack Obama and the Mainstream Media", Bernie Goldberg is back with us.

HANNITY: Good. Witness after witness after witness. They're all saying the same thing. That Nancy Pelosi and Rockefeller and Graham, and Jane — all of them were given very specific details that enhanced interrogation would be used, and they enthusiastically supported it, encouraged it, and actually questioned if they should go further.

So why does she deny it?

GOLDBERG: Well, if Nancy — I say this with all due respect to Speaker Pelosi. If she called me up personally and told me the sun was going to come up tomorrow morning in the east, I would check it out. You know what I'm saying?

(LAUGHTER)

HANNITY: Yes.

GOLDBERG: You know, back in 2002 there were very, very few politicians who were against enhanced interrogation. Nobody wanted a repeat of 9/11. Now here we are in the spring of 2009, and everybody is finding religion all of the sudden, and Nancy Pelosi is leading the charge for a truth commission.

I don't think that would be a good idea. But if we're going to have one, fine. Let Nancy Pelosi be the first witness under oath to tell us what she knew and when she knew it. And then let's pull out the minutes of those meetings where she says she has no recollection of them saying we're using these enhanced interrogation methods.

And if she's telling the truth you, Sean, and I owe her an apology. But if she's lying, prosecute her, plain and simple.

HANNITY: I agree.

GOLDBERG: Prosecute her for not telling the truth because right now.

HANNITY: Well, Bernie, I — no, I don't want to interrupt. I don't want to interrupt you, but forgive me. I had said that last week. I said if she's lying — now we have one witness after another. And here's the frustrating thing, Bernie, and this is where this is politicizing our national security and I believe making the country less safe.

If we're going to release the techniques which I think is a bad idea, along with four other CIA directors, at least tell the American people how these efforts were successful. They're not doing that. They're only telling the techniques, they're not saying how they benefited us.

GOLDBERG: Exactly. I totally agree with that. Look, let's leave aside just for the sake of argument the question of what constitutes torture, and let's also leave aside whether torture works or doesn't work. Some people say it does, some people say it doesn't. Let's leave all that aside.

Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi, and lots and lots of other liberals are against these enhanced interrogation methods 100 percent of the time. I'm against them, and I suspect most Americans will agree with me, I'm against them 99 percent of the time. I'm against them to punish Jay Walkers. I'm against them to punish Litter Bugs. I'm against them to even punish the most vile, hate-filled terrorist.

I'm against using enhanced methods of interrogation to punish anybody, but if by using these methods it would prevent — that's the key word — prevent or foil a terrorist plot and save thousands of American lives, Sean, the moral position is to use these enhanced interrogations.

That's the moral position. Barack Obama talks about upholding American values, that's why he's against what he calls torture.

Please, Mr. President, please, tell us what American values would be upheld if you needlessly allow thousands of Americans to die, needlessly, because you didn't want to use these tough interrogation methods.

HANNITY: Bernie, you have framed the question perfectly. Now, Bernie, I think we have the answer. George Tenet and Michael Hayden, two former CIA directors, and Vice President Cheney last week told me that in fact the information's available, so we can answer the question.

It doesn't — and we don't have to sit here and ponder it. They can release what the benefits were, but I'll tell you.

GOLDBERG: Well.

HANNITY: Porter Goss says that Obama stabbed the CIA in the back and that Obama has aided al Qaeda. Do you think those charges could be valid?

GOLDBERG: Right. You see when I said a minute ago let's leave aside whether these harsh interrogation methods or what President Obama calls torture — let's leave aside whether they work or not, you're absolutely right. We don't have to leave that question aside.

Since they released the memos, which was a really dumb idea, if you don't mind my saying so, and they're about to release photos which will be nothing but a public relations bonanza for every bad guy, you know, that wants to get at America, then why not release the other memos that tell us whether or not these harsh interrogation methods work?

I know I'm going to sound naive when I say this, but it's only fair to do that once they made the decision to release the other memos.

HANNITY: Bernie, Bernie.

GOLDBERG: I know, I sound naive saying that, right?

HANNITY: You wrote a book "Biased." You wrote — I think we know the answer to your — all right. I'd be negligent if I didn't ask you about this, and I've made fun of the fact that I think President Obama — you know I think he's got a teleprompter on each side of the bed when he goes to sleep every night if he doesn't actually put it in the bed, and I think most — I'm glad I'm amusing you.

I think most Americans have figured out that you take away that teleprompter, he's in trouble as evidenced by earlier today. Let's roll this tape.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: And I will charge PCAST with advising me about national strategies to nurture and sustain a culture of scientific innovation.

In addition to John — sorry — I just noticed that I jumped the gun here. Go ahead and move it up. I'd already introduced all you guys.

GOLDBERG: There's nothing — you know they say a picture's worth a thousand words. I'm not going to waste even two words on that. That's priceless. That really is remarkable.

HANNITY: All right. We've got the 100-day mark on Wednesday, and the "Slobbering Love Affair," he's accomplished more since FDR. I will tell you this. He has weakened our national security to a point that is frightening to me. He has spent more money, creating more debt that I find frightening, but the media is not covering that angle.

What are we to make...

GOLDBERG: Sean, I.

HANNITY: Should we expect it or am I naive?

GOLDBERG: Yes, you're naive.

HANNITY: Yes.

GOLDBERG: Listen, I've said on this program during the campaign that we are about to elect the most left-wing president in America's history, and we did. It really isn't more complicated than that. As far as the media's concerned, they have an awful lot invested in Barack Obama's success.

We cannot count on the mainstream media to tell us what's going on. Some reporters are very good, some are very good, and we should give them credit, but by and large, don't look in that direction.

By the way, Sean, very, very briefly, I have a brand-new Web site, BernardGoldberg.com. I hope all the people who watch you will just go over there and take a look.

HANNITY: All right. I hope they do, too. Bernie, always good to see you. Thanks for being with us.

GOLDBERG: Thanks.

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